Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr. was arrested at the police station at 1:26 a.m. Thursday and was charged with one count of criminal mischief first degree. He said Updyke could face other charges, but would not confirm that the Dadeville man turned himself in. He said he arrived at the jail without an attorney.

A spokeswoman for the Lee County Sheriff Office said Updyke was arrested early Thursday morning and charged with one count of first-degree criminal mischief.

Bond was set at $50,000. If convicted, Updyke could face one to 10 years in prison.

A man claiming to be "Al from Dadeville" phoned a radio show late last month, claiming he poured herbicide around the 130-year-old oaks that are the scene of celebrations after Auburn's sports victories.

Dawson would not confirm that Updyke was the person who called the radio show.

Dozens of students and fans attended a news conference held by university and city officials Thursday morning on campus. The two nearby oaks still had remnants of toilet paper from groups of fans who gathered at Toomer's Corner Thursday night after hearing of the poisoning.

Orange and blue pompoms were laid at the base of the trees along with signs, including one that read "get well soon."

Stephen Enloe, an assistant professor of agronomy and soil, said consultation with herbicide experts around the country indicated that there was a "low probability" that the trees will survive.

The trees were poisoned with a herbicide Spike 80DF, that is used to kill trees.

Gary Keever, a horticulture professor, said Thursday that Spike 80DF can sometimes inhibit growth for as long as seven years.

He said one possible cure would be to excavate and replace the soil. Keever said workers started treating the soil Thursday morning and are still looking for other solutions.